Dang Near Naked Tree...
Descendants of William A. or H. Murray
FIRST GENERATION
William MURRAY
- Date of Birth: Sep 1830 (25 Jan 1849?)
- Place of Birth: Johnstown PA
- Date of Death: 23 Sep 1903
- Place of Death: Burrville, Morgan County TN
- Burial: Mt. Vernon Methodist Church Cemetery, Burrville TN
- Date of Marriage: Jan 1970
- Place of Marriage: Fentress County TN
Spouse: Jane WALDEN
- Date of Birth: 29 Jun 1847
- Place of Birth: Albany, Clinton County KY
- Date of Death: 8 Jul 1925
- Place of Death: Burrville, Morgan County TN
- Burial: Mt. Vernon Methodist Church Cemetery, Burrville TN
STUFF TO PONDER: The 1880 Fentress County Census cites: William Murray, age 49, male, born in PA, occupation lawyer. The 1900 Fentress County Census cites: William Murray, born Sep 1830, age 69, male, born in PA, parent born in PA, occupation farmer. His spouse Jane (Jamie on the 1900 census) is also cited and her dates are pretty consistent with the dates on her tombstone. Zounds! This appears to be falling neatly into place! (Always be suspicious when things fall neatly into place...)
However, on William's tombstone in Burrville TN is etched the following date: 25 Jan 1849. 1849? We can handle a five year discrepancy, but 19! To further complicate the issue, oral history has William serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. If the date on the tombstone is correct, William enlisted at the age of 13! We Murrays are an adventuresome lot, yes! We are not stupid!!
Using the census data and a birth year of 1830, however, William enlisted would have enlisted at the age of abt 34, then followed his military service with marriage and a family. The puzzle here is: why would a college-educated man wait until the age of abt 41 to start a family of nine children? (What is he? Nuts?)
MORE STUFF TO PONDER: In 1880, William is a lawyer, a graduate of Yale, a member of the landed gentry, and a circuit court judge. In 1900, William is a farmer and ninechildren richer. In 1903, William is dead.
Small wonder then that we end our prayers each night with a plea for the Almighty to restore the 1890 cenus.
Children of William Murray and Jane Unknown
- Rivulet Murray
- Laurah Murray
- William Hemlock Murray
- Rosetta Winifred Murray
- Iles W. Murray
- Ellescia Williameta Murray
- George Cleveland Murray
- Charles E. Murray
- John Urich Murray
Note on Ellescia Williameta. On the 1880 Fentress census Ellescia appears in the HH of William Murray, f, 1/12. That's the last we hear of her. Our first thought? She died young, perhaps during the epidemic in the early 1900's. However, on a tombstone in Williard Park Cemetery there appears the name Williameta Murray Ducheneau born 1880. Of course, Williameta did not appear on any census record for William. That would be too easy. And we'd dismiss Williameta as a possible marry-in who remarried a Ducheneau except for the fact that she shares her headstone with Iles W. Murray and his sister, Winifred Murray Peters. It seems safe to assume then that the relationship between Iles, Winifred and Williameta was a close one and that the Ellescia in the 1880 census is probably Williameta Murray Ducheneau buried at Willard Park Cemetery in Harriman TN beside her brother and sister. [Truth be told, it's not safe to assume anything with this family, but for now, that's our story and we're stickin' to it!]
THE NAKED TREE, PART IISURNAME SEARCH!
